Kolkata: Seven persons were killed and at least 23 others suffered burns in a fire at a crowded shopping mall at Sodepur in North 24 Parganas district, adjoining the metropolis, police said.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Praveen Tripathy, informed that seven bodies have been recovered so far.

The blaze, suspected to have originated from welding work on the second floor, spread quickly with smoke building up inside the three-storey building.

Firemen who arrived on five tenders broke open glass panels to rescue trapped shoppers in the mall, located in a highly congested area. Fire-brigade sources said that smoke caused asphyxiation and many fell ill. Those killed were mostly mall employees, sources said.

Fire Services Minister Pratim Chatterjee, however, told PTI that he had reports that three were killed. The injured were rushed to hospital at Kamarhati.

Six firemen also fell ill while fighting the blaze, the sources said.

The dead included a woman employee of the mall, who was identified as Ranjana Saha (30).

The Minister said welding work was being carried out on the second floor from where the fire could have started. The fire then spread to other floors.

The Fire Services Department has initiated an inquiry.

Source : PTI